AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS LECTURE#01 Automation Introductory Basics Engr. Irfan Ahmed Halepoto

Automation- Originate Automation, the application of machines. Term mechanization refers as a replacement of human labour (or animal) by machines power of some form. Automation is the integration of machines into a self-governing system. The driving force behind mechanization has been humankind’s tendency to create tools & mechanical devices. Term Automation was coined in the automobile industry about 1946 to describe the increased use of automatic devices and controls in mechanized production lines. Origin of the word is credited to D.S. Harder, an engineering manager at the Ford Motor Company at the time.

Automation Automation (Industrial Automation) is the use of control systems and information technologies to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human involvement in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, Automation greatly reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements as well. Processes and systems can also be automated. computers have helped move manufacturing into a more productive, streamlined process through automation. 

Automation Types Variety Flexible Fixed Quantity Programmable

Fixed Automation Sequence of processing (or assembly) operations is fixed by the equipment configuration Typical features: Suited to high production quantities High initial investment for custom-engineered equipment High production rates Relatively inflexible in accommodating product variety

Programmable Automation Capability to change the sequence of operations through reprogramming to accommodate different product configurations Typical features: High investment in programmable equipment Lower production rates than fixed automation Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in product configuration Most suitable for batch production Physical setup and part program must be changed between jobs (batches)

Flexible Automation System is capable of changing over from one job to the next with little lost time between jobs Typical features: High investment for custom-engineered system Continuous production of variable mixes of products Medium production rates Flexibility to deal with soft product variety

Automation Importance Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities.

Automation Impacts Automation has had a notable impact in a wide range of industries beyond manufacturing . Most of the ubiquitous telephone operators have been replaced by automated telephone switchboards and answering machines. Medical processes such as primary screening in electrocardiography and laboratory analysis of human genes, cells, and tissues are carried out at much greater speed and accuracy by automated systems. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) have reduced the need for bank visits to obtain cash and carry out transactions.

Automation tools ANN - Artificial neural network DCS - Distributed Control System HMI - Human Machine Interface SCADA - Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition PLC - Programmable Logic Controller PAC - Programmable automation controller Instrumentation Motion control Robotics

Automation Versalities Specialized computers like PLCs are frequently used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events. This leads to precisely controlled actions that permit a tight control of almost any industrial process. Human-machine interfaces (HMI) are usually employed to communicate with PLCs and other computers, such as entering and monitoring temperatures or pressures for further automated control or emergency response.

Automated System Applications Automated machine tools Transfer lines Automated assembly systems Industrial robots Automated material handling and storage systems Automatic inspection systems for quality control Transformation Process Automated System Periodic Worker

Automation Applications

Automation Applications: Robot Robotics is a specialized branch of automation in which the automated machine possesses certain humanlike, characteristics. The most typical humanlike characteristic of a modern industrial robot is its powered mechanical arm. The robot’s arm can be programmed to move through a sequence of motions to perform useful tasks. Industrial robots are typically used to replace human workers in factory operations.

Automation Applications: Test Automation Automation can also be used in the testing of software applications through a process called test automation. In this process, computers are programmed with special scripts, usually computer programs, to run the same tests on software that a human would have to do manually.  Test automation provides many of the same advantages as industrial automation including labor reduction, repeatability, and waste reduction.

Reasons for Automating To increase labor productivity To reduce labor cost To mitigate the effects of labor shortages To reduce or remove routine manual and clerical tasks To improve worker safety To improve product quality To reduce manufacturing lead time To accomplish what cannot be done manually To avoid the high cost of not automating

Automation: Relief for workers Replacing human operators in tasks that involve hard physical or monotonous work. Replacing humans in tasks done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, underwater, etc.) Performing tasks that are beyond human capabilities of size, weight, speed, endurance, etc.

Automation Disadvantages Unemployment: Unemployment rate increases due to machines replacing humans and putting those humans out of their jobs. Technical Limitation: Current technology is unable to automate all the desired tasks. Security Threats/Vulnerability: An automated system may have limited level of intelligence, hence it is most likely susceptible to commit error. Unpredictable development costs: The research and development cost of automating a process may exceed the cost saved by the automation itself. High initial cost: The automation of a new product or plant requires a huge initial investment in comparison with the unit cost of the product, although the cost of automation is spread in many product batches.

Automation Social Concerns While labor reduction is considered to be advantageous for a company, many workers felt threatened when automation was first introduced. The fear that machines and computers would take the place of human labor drove their fear. In fact, reducing "unskilled labor" can be beneficial to workers.  Automation presents opportunities for workers who previously held "unskilled" positions to pursue more challenging jobs that often provide higher wages. With those workers pursuing other jobs, the remaining "unskilled" positions become more valuable to companies, especially in industrialized nations, and result in these jobs having higher wages.

Automation limitations: Human Capabilities Human roles in industrial processes presently lie beyond the scope of automation. Human-level pattern recognition, language recognition, and language production ability are well ahead of the capabilities of modern mechanical & computer systems. Tasks requiring subjective assessment or synthesis of complex sensory data, strategic planning makes human a better choice. In many cases, humans is more cost-effective than mechanical approaches even where automation of industrial tasks is possible.

Automation Principle Understand the existing process Input/output analysis Value chain analysis Charting techniques and mathematical modeling Simplify the process Reduce unnecessary steps and moves Automate the process Strategies for automation and production systems Automation migration strategy

Automation Strategies Specialization of operations Combined operations Simultaneous operations Integration of operations Increased flexibility Improved material handling and storage On-line inspection Process control and optimization Plant operations control Computer-integrated manufacturing

Automation Migration Strategy

Industrial Automation Systems Industrial Automation Systems are monolithic Automation software systems developed even by the same vendor are interoperable Automation systems have two basic entities: Level 1: Consists of factory specific hardware and interfaces Level 2: HMI based Applications (Human Machine Interaction) HMI based applications are tightly bound to the type of hardware they interact with; hence software reuse is difficult

Industrial Automation Landscape Today’s automation solution is highly interconnected

Multiple Human-Machine Interface, PC Interconnectedness of industrial products Interfaced Devices and Signals Third Party Devices Actuators Sensors Mains Power Networks Interfaces/Ports Interfaces/Ports I/O DCS Multiple Human-Machine Interface, PC PLC PADT 26 Control and HMI

Industrial Automation Classification Sections: Production Systems Automation in Production Systems Manual Labor in Production Systems Automation Principles and Strategies Organization of the Course

Realities of Modern Manufacturing Globalization: As underdeveloped countries (e.g., China, India) are becoming major players in manufacturing International outsourcing: Parts and products once made locally are now being made offshore to every where. Local outsourcing: Use of suppliers locally to provide parts and services. Contract manufacturing: Companies that specialize in manufacturing entire products, not just parts, under contract to other companies Quality expectations: Customers, both consumer and corporate, demand products of the highest quality Need for operational efficiency: manufacturers must be efficient in in their operations to overcome the labor cost advantage of international competitors

Manufacturing Approaches Automation Flexible manufacturing Quality programs Integration Lean production

Manufacturing Support Systems Business functions: sales & marketing, order entry, cost accounting, customer billing Product design: research and development, design engineering, prototype shop Manufacturing planning: process planning, production planning, MRP, capacity planning Manufacturing control: shop floor control, inventory control, quality control